Boys swimming: Steinert wins 2012 Hornet Relays

Zach Mabin and Steinert won the Hornet Relays for the fourth straight season.Tony Kurdzuk/The Star-Ledger

The seniors on the Steinert boys swim team will complete their careers having never lost the Hornet Relays.

Steinert, which won the last three installments of the relays, won again for a fourth straight year yesterday at the 30th Hornet Relays, an eight-team affair at Nottingham High in Hamilton. Steinert's only other triumph before building its current streak came in 1983.

"There are a lot of teams that will come and win it one year, or get it another year, but winning it four years in a row?" Steinert senior Tyler Gulsby said. "I think it really proves to us and other teams that we're solid every year."

Lawrence darted to a fast start by winning the 400-meter medley relay, but Steinert won the next two events, the 400 individual medley and 750 Crescendo free. Following a Lawrence victory in the 4x50 butterfly, the 10-minute break that followed showed some unusual team standings halfway through the meet.

Steinert and Lawrence were tied for first with 46 points, Hightstown and Hamilton were tied for third with 28 points, and Robbinsville and Nottingham were tied for fifth place with 14 points.

Once the meet resumed, Steinert and Lawrence split the final four events with two victories each, but Steinert racked up enough points in lower-place finishes to outlast Lawrence, 90-84.

"At any meet during the break I always try and give them that encouraging pep talk," Steinert coach Jen Smith said. "Always focusing on clean starts, clean finishes. Especially in these relays."

Hightstown finished third with 60 points while placing fourth through sixth were Nottingham, Hamilton and Robbinsville, respectively. But it came down to Steinert and Lawrence for the championship, and it was Steinert that kept Lawrence from getting its 11th title.

"It's a strong group of people," Smith said about her Steinert squad. "It was tight this year. I knew coming in it wasn't going to be like the last three years. The boys really needed to understand that they had to go in and give it their all."